Ball-marker.



R. w. MAGNA.

BALL MARKER.

APPLICATION FILED ms. 20, 1915.

1,167,004; Y P atnted Jan.4,191

*1 z WITNESSES: i W W m W 40am Tuba? A TTORNEYS.

RUssriLL Mien, on Hotvo E, :i rAssAcHpsE'r'rs.

mew/nee.

To all cohom itmay concern: 3

Be it known that I, RUSSELL'WLMAGT A, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Holyoke, in the county'of I-Iampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Ball-Marker, of which the fol lowing is a specification. r

My invention relates'to improvements in hand machines for imposingjor printing des-- ignating characters or nameson the surfaces of spherical objects, and more especially golf or other playing balls, andin its broader aspect resides in means to support such an object or ball androtate or cause to bero-F- tated or partially rotated such object or ball in contact with an impressing or printing element, agent or medium, but more specifically and in the preferred form may be said to consist of a pair of supporting rollsloosely mounted in an adjustableframe of peculiar construction, andan oscillatory or preferably rotatable mpressing or printing medium mounted in said frame in operative relation to a sphericalobyect'orball when an placeon and partially between said rolls, together with such auxiliary orsubsidiary partsand members as may be required to complete the machine and render the same most highly efficient, all as hereinafter set forth.

The primary object of my invention is to produce a novel, compact, simple, compara-.

tively inexpensive, and practical ma chine for easily, quickly, and effectively marking balls or other spherical objects without distorting the same by undue pressure, or otherwise in juring them, such machine "being adjustable so as to accommodate itself toballs or ob jects of different sizes. a V

Other objectswill appear in the course of the following description. I

1 attain the objects and secure theadvan- .tages of my invention by the means illus- I Specification of Letters Patentf' P 315 3 j Application filed i ebruary 2c, 1915. -saa11ta-sea,

on lines 4- 4, looking .iIi the directioirof the associated arrow, F1'g. 3,and, F1 g. 5, a'sec- Y tional detailtaken on lines".5%,5,'looking"in I the direction of theassociated arrow FigLB.

,The position of the printingmen'iberin Fig.2 islrelatively difierent from the' posie'. *tion of suchmember in Fig.1, such' nember being disposed printing position in the second view and. of such position in the throughout theseveral views.

The outline'in broken lines ofa'sphericalobject, such-as a golf ball,'isrepresented at l'in operative position in the'machines,-in all of the views except the last one. H Taking up first the machine illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, it willbe observed that such machine comprises an adjustable supporting frame, presently to bedescribed in detail, a p

" Similarnumerals designate similariparts pair of loosely dnounted ballrreceiving 'rolls' 3,, and a-pivotally-mfounted or rotatable im printing plate 7, together withan inking roll 8 supported inthe pathof said plate or 'pre'ssion segment 6 bearing in thiscase a of the raised charactersthereon. The rolls 3 are'similar in'shape to ordinary spools, and

said r0115 are-adapted to receive between them and support the object to be printed, as the ball .1, andare here so proportioned that; such ball bears on the inner slanting faces of the roll flanges, without touching'the axial portions or barrels'of'the rolls. 1 I

The. above mentioned frame of the machine consists of a pair of sidepieces'9, which. are spaced apart and connected atthe top bya fixedor non-rotary brace or rod 10 and atthe bottom-bye loose braceor rod 'll,"and

a pair of shorterside pieces 12, which. are

also spaced apart and connected at the-bob tom by a-loos e brace or rod 13, similar to said rod 1-1, .Withea'ch other at the topand with said first-mentioned side pieces. bya shaft 14. The shaft l kismounted to rotate in the'side pieces '9 and 12, has the segmentfi tightly secured thereto. between saidfl side? pieces, and. isfprovide'd at oneprotruding tance of the shaft '14 from the bases "of ,the 2 side pieces'9 is the sameas'the distance of 7 terminal with-a crank handle 15. The dis said shaftffroin the bases of-thfe 'side pieces held against inocpen ment relative to said brac by means of a 12. An adjusting rod 16, having a handle 17 at its front end and scr W-tlllGZlCl8Cl rear terminal 18, passes through the loose cross rods or braces 13 and ll, said terminal being tapped into said brac 11. i i'ee to turn in the braces 13 and 11, but is ent longitudinalmove pin 19 which is inserted in said brace and enters an annular groove 20 in said rod 16. ,The rod 16 retains th braces of the two. pairs of side pieces and 12) apart, and so causes said side pieces to assume an angular relationship, the one p'airto the other pair, the angles rormed by the said two pairs with the vertical axial plane of the shaft 1% being equal, but the acuteness of such angles increasing or decreasing accordingly as said rod be turned in one direction or the other for adjustment purposes. The rear roll 3 has a shaft 21 which is journaled in the side pieces 9, and the lforward roll 3 has-a shalt which is journaled in the side pieces 12, said shafts being equidistant from the braces 11 and 18,'respectiveiy, and relatively onthe same horizontal plane at all times;

Ti lie rolls 3 are elevated and caused to approach each other, when the rod 16 is turned to draw the braces 11 and 13 and the bases oi the two pairs of side pieces toward each other, and said rolls lowered and caused to recede from each other, when said rod is turned in the opposite direction to force said braces and bases farther apart. In this manner and by this means, and with the aid of the ball, the proper-relation of the seat for said ball to the arcuate or orbital path of tne segment (tor its type plate 7 is easily and very quickly determined and such seat adjusted and located. Since the rotation or the rod 16 produces a double or a simultaneously up or down and in or out movement on the part of the rolls, the adjustment of the s id roll is effected with great nicety and in most cases with very little movement of said rod. The braces 11 and 13 are not turned during adjustment, since they are held by the rod 16, but the side pieces rock on said braces as the inclines or" the former are varied.

The type plate 7 is attached to the arcuate face or". the segment 6 by means of screws 2323. The characters, represented at 24, are in the center or the plate 7, and the parts are so arranges that the arcuate path above the rolls 3, through which said characters pass when the segi nt 6 is rotated, is directly over the transverse centers or said rolls, consequently each of said characters is impressed at the top oi the vertical diameter of a ball supported by said rolls, said ball being rolled, by reason of the contact of said characters successively therewith, in and on said roll and so presenting to each succeeding character a new point-to receive The rod 16 is.

under and the latter in contact the same at the top of said diameter. the parts are also so arranged that the vertical diameter of the ball on the rolls, if extend ed upwardly, passes through any character 22% whicn is in contact with said ball, and throughthe axis of the shaft let. it is now plainly be seen that the impressions from the characters 24 on the ball surface must be sharp and clear, and that the pri ing is accomplished without soiling such suri'ace around said impressions, provided the rolls 3 be adjusted so as to present the ball in proper position'to the characters. To thi. end the rolls 3 should be adjusted to locate the ball high enough for the characters '24: to contact therewith, andyet not so high that said characters will cut into said lhe inking roll 8 is supported in the path or the characters by means of an arm attached to the rod or brace 10. The front end of the arm 25 is securely fastened to the brace 10, and said arm is provided at the rear end with a hanger 26 in which the roll 8 is mounted, such roll having a suindle 2? that is journal ed in the depending sides 01 said hanger. The segment 6, when rotated, carries the plate 7 and its characters 2% With the roll 8 and thus causes said characters to receive ink from said roll. 7

Although the desired result might be obtained by swinging the segment 6 back and forth through an arc only large enough to take in the roll 8 and the ball 1 on the rolls 3, it is more convenient tocause said segment to describe the run circle, and on this account the machine now under consideration is constructed to that end.

The arm 25 is preferably made of yielding material in order that the roll 8 may be se well down into the path of the characters, since this insures adequate inking of said characters, and at the same time affords s ient flexibility to avoid overinking.

In practice, the machine is first adjusted, through the medium of the rod 16, to accommodate any given ball 1, then, while the segment 6 is located at some point r mote from the immediate vicinity oi the rolls or in any event at some point wnere said segment will not interfere with-the placing of said ball in position, the ball is intro duced or inserted on and betw en said rolls, and finally the shaft let is rotated or partially rotated, by means of the handle 15. it, the time the ball 1 be placed in position, the segment 6 be located in forward position, as represented in Fig. 1, the shaft 1% is given a complete revolution, with the result that said segment, traveling w t 1th said shaft, carries the plate 7 up, over and under the roll 8, thus causing the characters to be inked, and continuing carries said plate down and forward over said ball, at which time the inlred characters leave their impressions which itstarted, and the ball, now clearly thumb-nut.

on said b'all-see Fig. 2. During the'contact support or the rolls 3, being actuated by reason of such-contact. After. passing the 'ball 1 the segment 6 is carried up'ward'ly and forwardly and left'in the position from marked, is taken from the machine." The arrows tISSOCltItQCl with the segment 6 and the rolls 3, in Fig. 2, indicate the directions of these revoluble members during the operationjust described. The machine is now ready for the next ball, unless readjustment should be necessary. 1 Thatthe operation, so far as the manipulation of the segment 6 is concerned, may be varied more or less is obvious, some referthe' thumb-nuts 33 up 01 thumb-nutand saidnut 34; I In this connec ti'on attention is ca-lled'toFig. 5. Theta is raised or lowered by simply screwing nuts 34 are loosened. The" type or characters,

down when-the H 70 as herein 1llus-" .7 trateol in connection with the machine'now being described, are in the form of a line of type 35, and there is a central longitudinal slot 36 in the bar '32 (Fig. l) in which said type line is 'inserted and below which the type faces or characters are located. Thus the type line'35 is directly over thelongi tudinal centerof the space between 'the'rodsv 29, and, of course, midwaybe'tween the'posts 31. As a means to securethetype line in once to such variation having previously been made, whereof it is not deemed necessary to enter into a more extended explanation along this line, especially in View of the fact that it is quite immaterial from whatparticular point the's'egment is started or at what particular point it is stopped, or

whether it be caused to describe a full or only part of a revolution, or be oscillatedinstead of rotated. V

Various changes in the sh Size;

without departing fromthenature' of my invention. Passing now to the found a marker designed todo the same work asthat described above, but onelwhich is 'notso serviceable or practical in many respects, or sohighly efficient, as the first. The" second machine comprises a horizontal U-shaped frame 28, twin rods 29 arranged side by sideto reciprocate in the forwardlyprojecting arms of saidframe, such rods being spaced from each other and having their ends connected by braces 3 0-30, posts 31 31 rising from said frame arms, a'type bar 32 carried by said posts over the space between said rods, and means toadjust said bar vertically to increase or decrease the distance between it and said rods to accommodate balls of different sizes, andcharacters or type with means to secure the same to or in place in said bar. The connected rods 29 marked. 7

'The upper terminals of the posts 31 are screw-threaded, and the aforesaid adjusting means consists of thumb-nut 33 in threaded engagement with eachof said posts, and a nut 34 screwed onto the shank .ofsaid The shank of each thumb-nut 33 passes down through an opening in either construction illustrated inthe lastthree v1ews,there Wlll be carrying the roll a0 underand in contact place in the bar slot 36, to Which reference 1 has been hereinbefore made, I employ a pair of angle-irons 37'.- The angle-irons 37 are mounted on the bar 32, on eachside of that portion of the type line that projects above the slot36, and secured by screws 38 .to said bar, and additional screws 39 aireemployed to irons? n v Aninking roll 40 is mounted between two arms 413011 a spindle 42, which' latteris journaled in said arms,*as shown in Fig. 4.: The arms'l 'ri'se from-therods 29 to support the-roll 40 in operative" relation to the type-line characters, and carry said roll under and in contact withsaid characters, as

said rods are reciproeated. The type-line 35, when placed in position, is adjusted with due regard to theroll 40. The arms 41 are oppositely disposed and so situated that,

when the rods 29 are at or'ne'ar the end of their right handstroke, as in Fig. '3, the roll 40 is in position at the right of the type-line 35 to commence, directly said'rods are actuated to the left, to ink thetype characters, and there is room between said arms and'lthe righthand post I31 for the insertionofa ballon said lOClSp V p -When the bar 32 18 ad usted, by means of the ,thumb nuts '33, to'locate the bottom of the type line 35 in proper relation to a given ball 12011 the'rods 29, the machine is ready for operation. The balll is placed in position in the manner already explained, and

secure said type lin'eto saidangle-i V icon then t e rods 29am moved to the left,-thus with .the type line 35 to inkthe 'characters.

thereon, and carrying saidlball under and in contact with said 'characters'which latter end of the bar 32, and the nut 34 is attached to said shank under said bar, so that the latter is embraced between the head of said are printed'on said ballas it passes beneath them. lhe ball is partiallyrotated, asit is carried past thetype line, owing to' the frict onal engagement of said. line thereis thereby prevented from being turned on its post 81 until said nut 34 is loosened. The rods 29 have reduced end pieces 43 upon which the braces 30 are received. The end pieces 43 are threaded, and nuts 44: are screwed on to such members outside of said braces to secure the latter in place.

What I claim'as invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a ball marker, impression means, and cupped means to support a ball, with its center in space, in operative position relative to said impression means, said supporting means having axes apart from the ball center, and permitting said ball to roll freely therein, when subjected to the action of said impression means.

9.. A ball marker comprising an impres sion member mounted to describe an arouate path, and a cupped rolling support adapted to receive a ball loosely and permit the same to roll therein, such support being adjacent to said path and adapted to retain a ball in operative position relative tosaid in'ipression means, with the center of said ball fixed in space and apart from the axes of said support, i

A ball marker comprising an impression member mounted to describe'an arcuate path, cupped means to support a ball with its center fixed in space, and means so to adjust said supporting means that a ball thereon shall be presented with the part of its surface that is most remote from said supporting means in the aforesaid path, such adjusting means consisting in part of a screw.

4. T he combination, in a ball marker, with a frame, of a pair of flanged rolls forming a cupped support for a ball, and loosely mounted in said frame, a shaft journa-led in said frame, and an impression segment secured to said shaft and adapted to traverse a path above said rolls.

5. The combination, in a ball marker, with frame comprising pivotally-connected adustable sections, and means to ad ust such sections, of a pair of flanged rolls forming a cupped support for a ball, each of such rolls being loosely mounted in one of said sections, a shaft journaled in said frame, and an impression segment secured to said shaft and adapted to traverse a path above said rolls. r 6. The combination, in a ball marker, wit a frame, of a pair of flanged rolls forming a cupped support for a ball, and loosely mounted in said frame, a shaft ournaled in said frame, an impression segment secured to said shaft and adapted to traverse a path above said rolls, and an inking member supported from said frame in the path traversed by said segment.

7. The combination, in a ball marker, of two pairs of angularly-arranged side pieces and 'a connecting shaft, an impression segment secured on said shaft, means to separate the bases of said side pieces, and a ballsupporting roll loosely mounted between the side pieces in each pair, below the path described by said segment.

8. The combination, in a ball marker, of two pairs of angularly-arranged side pieces and a connecting shaft, an impression segment secured on said shaft, means to separate the bases of said side pieces, a ballsupporting roll loosely mounted between the side pieces in each pair, below the path described by said segment, a brace between the upper ends of the side pieces in one of said pairs, an arm supported by said brace, and an inking member carried and located by said arm in said path.

9. The combination, in a ball marker, of two pairs of an ularly-arranged side pieces and a connecting shaft, an impression segment secured on said shaft, loose braces conncct'ng said shaft pieces in each pair, at the bottom, an adjusting rod passing through said braces, said rod being tapped into one of said braces, means to prevent said rod from moving lengthwise in the other of said braces, and a ball-supporting roll loosely mounted between the side pieces in each pair, below the path described by said segment.

10. The combination, in a ball marker, of two pairs of angularly-arranged side pieces and a connecting shaft, said side pieces in one pair being longer than those in the other pair, an impression segment secured to said shaft, a top brace connecting the upper ends of the two longer side pieces, loose braces connecting said side pieces in each pair, at the bottom, an adjusting rod passing through said loose braces, said rod being tapped into one of said loose braces, means to pr vent said rod from moving lengthwise in the other brace, a ball-supporting roll mounted loosely between said side pieces in each pair, below the path of said segment, an arm extending from said top brace, and an inking member carried and located by said arm in said path.

11. The combination, in a ball marker, with two pairs of angularly-arranged side pieces and a connecting shaft, an impression egment secured to said shaft, means to retain said side piecesin spaced relationship,

,nd a ball-supporting roll loosely mounted between the side pieces in each pair, below the path of said segment, of means to vary the angle between said two pairs of side pieces.

12. A ball marker comprising an impres ing members; to seat the ball acco'rdingly sion member mounted to describe an arcuate lower or higher; path, spaced members forming a cupped support for a ball, With its center fixed in LL GN space, in operative position relative to said WVitnesses: s impression member, and means to increase F. A. CUTTER, 1 v

or decrease the space between-said support- A. C. FAIRBANKS.

Copies 01 thispatent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of- Patents,

Washington, D. 0.? 

